So let me get this straight:

• The Washington Nationals are going after Prince Fielder, the highest profile remaining free agent, and money is “no object”.
• The New York Yankees, desperate for veteran pitchers to solidify their leaky rotation, have apparently been priced out of the…wait for it…Edwin Jackson market.

Yes ladies and gents, we are living in a baseball world where this seeming fantasy is a reality.

Also:

• Albert Pujols is no longer a Cardinal.
• Mark Buehrle is no longer a White Sox.
• Jose Reyes and Hanley Ramirez are on the same team.

What a strange, strange offseason so far. I can’t wait to see what weird and extraordinary turn it takes next.

But all is not lost in 2011, at least for someone like me who considers Mark Buehrle to be on his Personal Sports Mount Rushmore. And it’s all thanks to Reva Friedel, my new #1 favorite White Sox fan. (Sorry Josh and KVB.)

And why did Ms. Friedel (@RevaFriedel on Twitter) skyrocket up my personal White Sox fan rankings? Because she sent me this in the mail today, for no reason other than to brighten up my dark baseball summer:

This was the giveaway a few weeks back at U.S. Cellular Field. Living in Dallas on a blogger’s salary, I obviously could not just pop up for the day. But after seeing me tweet about my admiration for Buehrle and everything he’s meant to the White Sox over the past decade, she took it upon herself to find me one. Reva, it is very much appreciated.

And the best part is that it comes during a season in which Buehrle has had a nice little renaissance. He’s 11-7 with a 3.34 ERA (which was much better before he got shellacked by the Tigers Sunday night) and did everything he could to help the White Sox fulfill the promise we all thought 2011 had.

Alas, Buehrle could not swing the bats of Alex Rios, Adam Dunn, and Gordon Beckham, and so here we sit, way far away from a playoff spot, with but a few weeks left before October. But now, every time I think about how crappy 2011 has been, I can look to my right and see Mark Buehrle’s bobbling head and smile at the kindness of a stranger who, through sport and social media, is no longer really a stranger at all. And that’s pretty damn cool.

Thanks again Reva!

In Zambrano’s exit, and juxtaposed against the disappointment of the Wood-Prior-Zambrano trio, I find yet another way to appreciate their underappreciated contemporary: Mark Buehrle.

Click play on the player below to listen:

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For those who would rather read than listen, here is the transcript:

As Carlos Zambrano Exits, Ol’ Reliable Mark Buehrle Stands Alone in Chicago

Last night, Chicago Cubs pitcher Carlos Zambrano did something that is starting to become such a Chicago Cubs thing to do: he walked out on his teammates.

Like Sammy Sosa before him, Zambrano has gone from a beloved Cubs superstar to an overpaid, underachieving, volatile pariah. And like Sosa, Big Z hasn’t been able to stand the heat…so he showed himself out of the kitchen.

When I heard about Zambrano’s selfish, impetuous act, two thoughts immediately flashed into my mind:

One, this probably, mercifully, signals the end of one of the most star-crossed and disappointing pitching phenom trios in baseball history.

And two, I somehow found a new way to appreciate Mark Buehrle.

Let’s deal with number one first.

In 2003, the trio of Mark Prior, Kerry Wood, and Carlos Zambrano went a combined 45-28 in 94 starts with an average ERA+ of 151.3 and more than a strikeout per inning. They were, simply put, the most fearsome trio of pitchers in Major League Baseball. Prior and Zambrano were both 22. Wood was 26. Finally, there was realistic hope for broken curses on North Side.

I don’t need to rehash the excruciating details of what happened to this trio in the seasons that ensued after Steve Bartman’s unfortunate rise to infamy. Simply put, it would not be an overstatement to call the fall of Wood and Prior one of the more extreme examples of unfulfilled potential in my lifetime as a baseball fan.

Big Z, on the other hand, stayed physically healthy and became the Cubs’ ace. From 2004-2007 he finished in the top 5 of the Cy Young voting three times. He’s won a total of 125 games while never making fewer than 28 starts in a season before last year. He was, I think, one of the 10 or 15 best pitchers of the aughts when you look at his entire body of work.

And Wood and Prior were both considered better than Zambrano. Can you imagine the Cubs’ pitching staff had those two been able to mature into grizzled 200+ inning machines like Zambrano? As a White Sox fan and lifelong Cubs hater, I shudder to think about such a reality.

The problem with Zambrano is that while he stayed physically healthy, his emotional health seemed to deteriorate by the season. Miscast as a #1 starter, the man to whom all pressure goes on a pitching staff, Zambrano routinely melted down. As his meltdowns increased, so too did his ability to confidently and competently take the ball every fifth day for his Cubs.

Zambrano finished fifth in the Cy Young voting in 2007. He made 34 starts. Over the next three seasons Zambrano would start 30, 28, and 20 games. This year he has started 24, but with a career-worst 4.82 ERA. Zambrano has never finished a full season with an ERA over 3.95.

And now, apparently, Zambrano’s career is done. Surely it’s done on the North Side.

With it, gone also are the final vestiges of that once-heralded trio of pitching phenoms that was going to overcome baseball history, billy goats, and Bartman to deliver glory to the partisans of Wrigley. Two thirds of the trio succumbed to injury of the body; one third fell to a failure of the mind.

And then there is Mark Buehrle.

Concurrently with Wood, Zambrano, and Prior pitching their first full seasons in the big leagues (1998, 2002, and 2003, respectively), the team on the south side of the city was breaking in a young, unheralded, soft-tossing lefty who had been a 38^th round draft pick. Mark Buehrle unexpectedly went 16-8 with a 3.29 ERA and a league-leading 1.066 WHIP during his first full season in 2001, but then proceeded to pitch progressively worse in 2002 and 2003.

By the time Buehrle posted an underwhelming 14-14 won-loss record in 2003, with a 4.14 ERA, he had become completely lost in the Chicago pitching shuffle due to the exploits of the aforementioned Wrigleyville Trio.

But just as the tide turned in 2003 for the Cubs’ young pitchers, so too did it turn for Buehrle. He lowered his ERA and went 16-10 in 2004 before having his career year in 2005. Buehrle went 16-8 with a 3.12 ERA while leading the league in innings pitched for the second straight year. It was his lone top-5 finish in the Cy Young voting.

Oh, and powered by pitching, the White Sox won the World Series, the first in the city of Chicago in over 200 combined seasons of baseball.

Since then, Buehrle has just kept on motoring. He had a down year in 2006 while dealing with the fatigue of the deep playoff run, but he has compensated for any inflated ERAs with his reliability. Since 2001 through this season, a span of 11 seasons, Buehrle has never won fewer than 10 games and never pitched fewer than 200 innings, which he is on pace to do again this year. He has pitched a perfect game, a no-hitter, won two gold gloves, set the MLB record for consecutive batters retired at 45, and is currently in the midst of a team-record streak of consecutive starts allowing 3 or fewer earned runs.  He is also the only player in MLB history to start and save consecutive World Series games.

This year, at the age of 32, Buehrle is having one of his best seasons at a time when his team has needed him the most. The White Sox entered this season proclaiming to be all-in. Unfortunately, many of the White Sox high-priced players have floundered. Not Buehrle. His current ERA of 3.06 would be his career best, as would his .667 winning percentage. Because of Mark Buehrle, the White Sox still have life in the AL Central. Without him? I shudder to consider.

I’ve long thought and argued that Mark Buehrle is one of the most underrated and underappreciated baseball players of the current era. Sure, I’m biased, but the list of accomplishments I’ve spouted off during this quickcast speaks for itself.

What’s ironic is that Buehrle has had such a spectacularly steady career on the south side after starting out in the shadows of burgeoning dominance on the north side. But what makes baseball such a great and fascinating game is that in every respect it is a marathon, not a sprint.

At bats can be marathons. Games can be marathons. Series can be marathons. And certainly seasons and careers are marathons. The second you think you have baseball figured out, the game is quick to flip your expectations 180 degrees.

In the case of Prior and Wood, this expectation flip was tragic in the sports sense of the word. In the case of Zambrano, the expectation flip was perhaps inevitable. And in the case of Buehrle, the expectation flip has been relatively anonymous and nondescript.

The best way I can sum it up is this: way back in 2003, Mark Buehrle was unquestionably the tortoise in the race to Windy City pitching immortality. One by one, the much-heralded hares that toed the rubber in Wrigley have fallen by the way side; and just like in the old children’s tale we all know so well, the tortoise has unexpectedly won the race.

I feel bad for Cubs fans today, looking back on what could have been and what ended up being. And such an ugly, ignominious ending; but one that is perhaps appropriate all things considered. As a baseball fan, I would have liked to have seen the greatness that Wood, Prior, and Zambrano would have produced together, even if the Cubs hater in me would have loathed it.

Regardless, I’m just happy that of the four young pitchers who started their big league careers in Chicago back at the turn of the century, the White Sox were the ones who got Mark Buehrle, because he has ended up having the best career of them all. That would have sounded crazy to say at the time, but it’s unquestionable now.

As Rangers manager Ron Washington might say, that’s the way baseball go.

Fellow White Sox fans, today is a good day to stop and appreciate what we’ve had and what we still have in Mark Buehrle. Consistency, reliability, and stability are three of the most underrated traits in a baseball player. Just ask a Cubs fan.

Especially on this day, I’m sure they would agree.

Format for waiver wire watch:

• 50-75% Owned- Player qualifies for 10-team league
• 25-49% Owned- Player qualifies for 12-team league
• Less than 25% Owned- Player qualifies for 14-team league

Again, these percentages are found on Yahoo! Fantasy Baseball.

10-team league hitter to watch

Freddie Freeman, 1B, ATL

Baseball America ranked Freddie Freeman as the 17^th best prospect in the MLB prior to the 2011 season, and it is easy to see why based on his numbers in his first full MLB season.

In his past 20 games, Freeman in batting .402 with 2 HR and 9 RBI.  He has been particularly impressive against right handed pitching, against which Freeman is batting .325 with 10 of 15 HR.  He also hits well at his home ballpark (Turner Field) as he has posted an AVG of .324 with a .410 OBP.

Overall Freeman will help your fantasy team in most of the power categories, and his .299 AVG as an added bonus.  He should continue to contribute with HRs, RBIs, a high OBP, and a high SLG as well.  Freeman is a pretty good power find at this point in the season.

10-team league pitcher to watch

Hiroki Kuroda, SP, LAD

Like many of the starting pitchers highlighted in the Waiver Wire Watch, Hiroki Kuroda has pitched much better than his record indicates, and has simply been a victim of low run support and bad luck.  That being said, there are numerous categories Kuroda can help your team in, as he is actually having a very good season if you ignore his record.

His 2.96 ERA currently ranks 10^th in the NL, and 6 of his last 8 starts have been quality starts.  He has also struck out at least 6 batters in 4 consecutive starts, so he has had his strikeout pitch working lately as well.  In Kuroda’s 4-year career, he has never had an ERA over 4.00, and his highest WHIP ever is 1.22 which he posted in his rookie campaign in 2008.

It is reasonable to assume that Kuroda can continue this consistency for the remainder of the season and potentially help out some fantasy teams in the stretch run in the process.

12-team league hitter to watch

David Freese, 3B, STL

David Freese has turned out to be a pleasant surprise for the Cardinals this season.  He does not have enough at bats to qualify for the league leader board, but his .320 AVG would rank 5^th in the NL if he did.

Though he has been respectable against right handed pitching this season, he has been simply dominant facing lefties this year.  He is batting .438 against left handed pitching this season with 3 HR, 14 RBI, a .473 OBP, and a .667 SLG.  He has also posted a batting average of .359 on the road this season.  Another important statistic for Freese: batting with runners on base.  He has seemed to step up his game when hitting with runners on base.  With the bases empty he is batting .309, with runners on he is batting .330, with RISP he is batting .377, and with RISP and 2 outs he is batting .400.  This should indicate he has decent potential for some RBI opportunities as well.

In 6 seasons in the minor leagues Freese had a career AVG of .307, OBP of .384, and SLG of .531.  So in other words, his MLB season his no fluke, and look for him to continue his solid production.

12-team league pitcher to watch

Mark Buehrle, SP, CWS

I was shocked when I first discovered that Mark Buehrle was owned in only 34% of all fantasy leagues, as he has been one of the most consistently good pitchers in the MLB for a long time.  This year has been no different for Buehrle.

In his last start against the Twins, Buehrle extended his streak to 17 straight games in which he has allowed 3 runs or less, which tied the longest streak in White Sox history.  Also, his 17 quality starts are tied for 5^th best in the MLB, ranking ahead of CC Sabathia and Cliff Lee.  After posting a 5.12 ERA in April, Buehrle’s highest ERA in any month since has been 3.06 in June. He is coming off a July where his ERA was 1.85, and he threw 8 scoreless innings in his only start in August so far.

It’s a mystery why Buehrle is owned in more leagues, but the good news is that he is likely available in your league.

14-team league hitter to watch

Jesus Guzman, 1B, SD

After spending parts of 8 seasons in the minor leagues, Jesus Guzman is making the most his opportunity playing in the big leagues.

He has been on fire since the all-star break with a .377 AVG, 4 HR, 22 RBI, a .427 OBP, and a .638 SLG.  Also, he has shown the ability to hit both lefties and righties well as he has posted a .358 AVG against lefties, and a .316 AVG against righties.  Furthermore, Guzman has been spectacular at home this season at pitcher friendly Petco Park.  He has a .452 AVG at home with 4 HR, 15 RBI, a .531 OBP, and a .833 SLG.

If Guzman can put up these kinds of numbers at Petco Park, then he can hold his own in any ballpark he plays in.  Guzman was a career .305 hitter in the minor leagues, so look for him to continue his impressive rookie season.

14-team league pitcher to watch

Ivan Nova, SP, NYY

Despite the fact that Ivan Nova was sent to the minors in July due to the Yankees not having room for him in their starting rotation, he has still been one of their more consistent starting pitchers this whole season.  He has won 6 out of his last 7 starts for the Yankees, and has allowed more than 2 ER in only two of those starts.  Since being called back up to the big leagues, Nova has been dominant in his past two starts.  He has pitched a combined 14.2 innings, striking out 16 batters in those starts.  Also, he only allowed a combined 3 ER in those two starts while being the winning pitcher in both games.

The only thing to watch for with Nova, is that the Yankees do not send him down again.  He does not deserve to be sent down at all based on the way he has pitched for them this season, but it is still a possibility.  Nevertheless, he still very worthy of pickup consideration.

* All statistics used are as of Monday August 8, 2011

Some people say that this tweeting is pointless and a waste of time other than when I post links to my site that drive traffic. I disagree. Strongly. Twitter has now become the breeding and testing ground for most of my blog post ideas. It allows me to test out an idea before committing the time necessary to turn it into a full article. Ask any blogger and they’ll tell you that is invaluable.

Case in point: today.

On a whim, I tweeted the following:

May turn this into a post. What is your personal sports Mount Rushmore? … Clarification: personal sports Mount Rushmore is favorite, most beloved players, not necessarily best.

Immediately, responses starting pouring in. Clearly, this was a question that had gotten people thinking and that people were excited about sharing their two cents to answer.

Ding! Ding! Ding! I knew right then and there that I needed to turn it into a blog post.

So, now that this impromptu Twitter tip is complete — use Twitter to get, test, and develop your blog post ideas! — it is time to share my Personal Sports Mount Rushmore (PSMR) and then open the comment section for yours – the real fun of this.

I will warn everyone though: the greatest possible answer has already been given by @bschultzy, who said that his PSMR would just be “4 Ditkas.” Can’t top that.

And a quick note on criteria as you think about your own PSMR: there really is none. This is your Personal Sports Mount Rushmore. For me, that means weighing memories and personal feelings more than strictly accomplishments. For you it might mean something else. As the commercials say: no rules, just right.

Here is my Personal Sports Mount Rushmore:

Calbert Cheaney

There is no question who is #1 on my PSMR. It’s IU legend Calbert Cheaney, still the Big Ten’s all-time leading scorer with 2,613 career points (a record he just may hold forever; I’m not kidding), a former National Player of the Year, and currently the new Director of Operations for the Indiana basketball program.

Obviously there are many IU basketball players I could have chosen. Reading Steve Alford’s book Playing for Knight is was inspired me to work hard to become a good basketball player, but I was five years old in 1987 when Alford was a senior. AJ Moye played when I went to IU, and and there were few moments more exciting than being part of a packed Assembly Hall chanting “A-J Mo-ye” after #2 did something badass. Greg Graham, DJ White, Brian Evans, and others all are personal IU favorites of mine.

But no one comes close to Calbert.

I saw almost every home game he played during his four years at IU, and the 1992-93 Indiana team is my favorite sports team of all-time. They unfortunately fell short of a title, but to paraphrase Coach Norman Dale, they’ll always be winners in my book.

Calbert was as deadly efficient a scorer as there has ever been in the Big Ten. For the conference’s all-time leading scorer to be a wing player who had a career field goal percentage of .559 is astounding. That’s not a misprint. Calbert made almost 56% of his shots as a Hoosier. He was a complete player too. He averaged more than five rebounds a game, played defense, and was a leader on one of Bob Knight’s most deep and complete teams.

Calbert was also well-spoken, a good student, and a class act. To 12-year old me in 1993, Calbert he was the quintessential example of what an IU basketball player should be, and at that time in my life I did not think human beings got a whole lot more special than those who wore the Cream & Crimson and the candy-striped warm-up pants.

And then there are the memories. His surprising scoring from Day 1 after being one of the more unheralded members of the super 1989 recruiting class. His battles with the Big Dog and the Fab 5, which the Hoosiers usually won. The Final 4 in 1992. The 17-1 conference mark in 1993, including the electric game against Northwestern when his baseline jumper broke the Big Ten scoring record. Coach Knight even stopped the game to honor Calbert, something I’d never seen him do before. It was a testament to how much he thought of his humble, superlative senior.

Yes, on my Personal Sports Mount Rushmore, Calbert’s face is the one being carved first. And it’s not a debate. His greatness coincided with the time in my life when I was the most innocently and genuinely in love with sports, and I got to see so many of his great moments live. No one will ever supplant him.

Anthony Thompson

If I had been a little older when A.T. was running roughshod over the Big Ten, he might be able to give Calbert a run for his money. But I was just a little sprite back then, with Anthony’s incredible college career in Bloomington spanning my fourth through eighth years on this earth.

Image source: ESPN

And while I still remember how genuinely nice Anthony was to me when I’d tag along with my dad to practice and games, and while I have mementos like the picture hanging in my parents’ house from the cover of the Herald-Times sports page of me and Anthony from Picture Day, I was too young to truly appreciate his greatness like I could Calbert’s.

Here is one of the best examples of Anthony’s prowess, the day he scampered for 377 yards (then an NCAA record) against Wisconsin.

I have said many times before, and I’ll continue to say it probably forever, that Anthony Thompson is the most underrated player in Big Ten football history. I’m sure that good arguments could be made for many others in this regard, but I just cannot see anyone having a more underappreciated career of consistent greatness than A.T.

Remember folks, in 1987 Indiana was ranked #7 in the country at one point! Indiana! And who was the straw that stirred the drink? Anthony. He’s an icon in Bloomington and he should be an icon in the Big Ten in general. He was that good.

And he’s the second obvious, no-debate-required person I’d place on my Personal Sports Mount Rushmore.

Michael Jordan

When I originally tweeted this PSMR question out, I had Dan Marino listed as being one of my four, but I’ve thought better of that. I loved Marino, but I was three years in 1984 when he burst onto the scene, so I didn’t really appreciate Marino at his best.

But Michael Jordan, oh boy did I get to appreciate him at his best; and it’s the best I’ve ever seen an athlete be, and perhaps the best any athlete ever has been.

Image source: Life-Fashion.com

I don’t follow the Bulls much anymore, but when I was younger I loved the Bulls. Certainly, I was not alone. Michael and Scottie were just fascinating to watch play basketball together, and they just seemed to get better and better together every year. And once they started winning championships in the early 90s, and then didn’t stop, it was impossible for me not to become completely swept up in the Cult of Jordan. (You know, when Jordan would do something remarkable and you’d say “Holy crap, Jordan is God!” and only be half joking.)

No, I didn’t put Jordan on my list initially, but when I sat down and thought about it, I realized I was underestimating just how Jordan-crazy I was back then. I watched every game of his I could, my dad and I took a few trips up to Chicago for events Jordan would be at, and I had all the shirts and hats and books and Nike Jordan gear I could handle.

When I add up the memories and the adoration, MJ comes out way ahead of Marino, so substituting him was an easy decision.

By the way, it is no coincidence that the first three choices all were at their peak before I could drive. Unbridled and innocent sports enthusiasm was possible back then, where it’s really not now. I certainly love my teams, and I’m a big fan of certain players nowadays, but it’s just not the same as it was back then; and I doubt it ever will be.

Mark Buehrle

But here is a guy from my older years who does get the a spot on the mountain. It was a tough choice, but Buehrle gets it for several reasons:

• He has produced spectacular memories like the no-hitter, the perfect game, and his career-best 2005 season that culminated in a World Series title.
• I still remember when Buehrle first came up and have these random but fun memories like when fellow White Sox fanatic KVB and I were at our digital animator’s parents’ house talking at length about this new guy named Buehrle who was having great start after great start. That may not sound like much, but it’s a fun memory for a whole host of reasons, none of which would make sense if I tried to explain them.
• Like Anthony Thompson, I fear that Buehrle is destined to go down as severely underrated, and I feel invested in stating his case to the masses. I know that his career ERA and WHIP are never going to knock anyone’s socks off, but look at his year-by-year totals. He starts 30+ games every year, he pitches 200+ innings every year, and he wins 10+ games every year. That kind of consistency is a very underrated quality for a starting pitcher.
• I don’t know how much the numbers back this up, but my visceral feeling any time Buehrle steps on the mound in a big spot is that he is going to deliver. We all have those athletes that we just believe in, perhaps even a bit irrationally. Mark Buehrle is that guy for me. I know he’s had his share of stinker games over the years, but in the ’05 playoffs he was outstanding, and against AL Central opponents he always seems to step up.

Plus, I need a player from the White Sox. Frank Thomas was the easy choice, but I always felt like my appreciation and love for The Big Hurt was a bit arm’s length. I respected him and his contributions more than I just loved him as a player.

Paul Konerko is another obvious candidate, but when I was faced with the decision a couple years ago of getting a White Sox jersey, and the decision came down to Buehrle or Konerko, I went with Buehrle. That had to mean something, right? I used it as my tie-breaker, so Mark and his rubber arm got the nod.

So there it is, my Personal Sports Mount Rushmore:

• Calbert Cheaney
• Anthony Thompson
• Michael Jordan
• Mark Buehrle

But the fun only just now beginning, because now the comment section is open to you.

Who is on your Personal Sports Mount Rushmore, and why?

I can’t wait to see your responses.

**********

* – Calbert Cheaney photo credit: Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images via Life.com

In 2005, Mark Buehrle helped me win my fantasy baseball league by going 16-8 with a 3.12 ERA in what was a career-defining season. That was the first time I actually took notice of him—on the basis of his statistical performance.

The next time Buehrle popped up in my field of vision was in February 2009 when the Chicago Tribune reported that Buehrle was considering an early retirement. Apparently Buerhle missed his wife and 18 month-old son so much that he began giving serious consideration to hanging up his cleats in the prime of his career.

After reading that, my perspective of Buerhle changed. I didn’t only respect him as a player; I respected him as a man. In fact, in February 2009, Buerhle represented the very antithesis of today’s typical professional athlete: a successful player who stays out of the media spotlight, and is a devoted family man. He was a man of a different era; a player who invoked memories of players like Jim Rice and Cal Ripken—men who defined their legacies by what they did off the field as much as by what they did on it.

But now, two years after that humbling and touching story, Buehrle has redefined his legacy…by destroying it.

In a recent article on MLB.com, Buehrle admitted that he and his wife would watch Philadelphia Eagles games, hoping that Michael Vick would “get hurt,” and that believed that “something bad needs to happen” to Vick. It wasn’t Tucker Carlson from last December, but close.

Despite his own love of killing animals ’for sport,’ Buehrle claims to be an avid “animal rights activist,” so his comments need to be read in context; however, the sheer ignorance and hypocrisy belying these comments are way too much to overcome. Consequently, I will now provide ashort,  three-pronged rebuttal of Buerhle’s statements about Vick:

1) Vick has paid his debt to society.

In a recent interview, Buehrle defended his “hunting” of animals on the fact that the act of hunting is legal. Therefore, it’s safe to assume that Buehrle stands behind our nation’s legal system—the same legal system which has conclusively decided that Michael Vick has paid his debt to society.

Buehrle’s actions of apparently disagreeing with the determinations of our legal system, while concurrently using it as a shield to defend his own actions, seems hypocritical.

2) The “Culture” Defense.

After Buehrle’s initial comments about Vick surfaced, it was revealed that Buerhle enjoys hunting deer, ducks, and bears. When Buehrle was subsequently asked how he could have such animosity for Vick, when he himself kills animals, he responded with a cultural defense:

“Hunting is a sport…If that’s illegal, shame on my dad and my grandpa and his grandpa. It’s kind of been brought up throughout the history of America.”

In other words, Buehrle was brought up in a culture where hunting wasn’t only commonplace, it was part of everyday life.

There is a particularly interesting analogy to Buehrle’s comments regarding his lifelong experiences with hunting and Vick’s recent comments to the Los Angeles Times regarding his own lifelong experiences with dog-fighting:

Vick, who attended his first dog-fight as a 7-year old, reflected that “dog fighting was a part of [the] black culture” of his youth. Vick’s brother, Marcus, reiterated this notion by stating that when he and Vick grew up “[they] never knew there was nothing wrong with it.”

 3) Vick’s Contribution to the Cause

In addition to paying his debt to society (and we know many athletes have done worse and received far lesser punishments) and losing all of his money, Vick’s contributed money to fighting animal cruelty, regularly volunteers his time, and continuously gives public speeches to students and others about making good choices, and being kind to animals.

E-mail the author: drewcando1@gmail.com

With Spring Training quickly approaching, the White Sox have released their first commercial of the season. It features a clever allusion to Mark Buehrle’s silly-good defensive play on Opening Day 2010, and will definitely get Sox fans pumped for what should – should – be a good season on the South Side.

Watch the video:

Oh, wait, never mind. You can’t watch the video because Major League Baseball continues to adhere to a media policy that is stuck in the mid-90s. You are, however, more than welcome to click over to MLB.com to watch the White Sox “All In” commercial starring Mark Buehrle and Hawk Harrelson*.

* – Memo to Major League Baseball: In place of where the embedded video of the commercial should go,I would like to point out that only a fraction of this post’s readers will actually click on that link to watch the commercial on your website. As Ron Washington would say, that’s how the Internet go.

Every time you make people click a link to go to another page, you lose a portion of your audience. On the other hand, the percentage of people who would click “play” to watch an embedded version of the video here at MSF is much higher. And they’d even deal with pre-roll ads if you want to make revenue and/or use it for branding. But because of your myopic web strategy, you lose this opportunity.

As our friend Paul Banks explains, you are losing “legions of fans” with your “backwards Internet media policies.” Go read his post here if you want to be enlightened.

So please MLB, go waste money and resources scouring the web for bloggers like myself who might post game clips or commercials like this White Sox ad on YouTube and then have the audacity to post them on their websites. Seriously, why would you want us promoting your game and marketing materials for you for free?

What’s funny is that as the season approaches, MLB banner ads will pop up all over the web – ads that Major League Baseball has to pay for – yet they could get tons and tons of free advertising that is more effective if they would would simply dust the mothballs off of their “Advanced Media” strategy. It’s unbelievable and incredibly detrimental to the growth of the game, especially with younger audiences.

Anyway, as much as it pains me to make you click over to MLB.com to watch a video that should easily be embeddable here, I’m doing it because the commercial kicks ass. Even if you’re not a White Sox fan, you’ll appreciate the clever idea and solid execution. As Hawk Harrelson would say, “Mercy!” Yes, it’s mercy good.

Image source: InsideTheSox YFrog via @kbertolini

@InsideTheSox spotted this fan shirt at SoxFest this weekend in Chicago. Our very own White Sox-obsessed KVB tweeted out, and I could not help but post it. What a great shirt. It almost makes me wish my name was Kimberly. Almost. (Not really. I swear.)

I’m so pumped for the 2011 baseball season. Anyone else?

Rarely though are we presented with a story about an athlete dealing with his contract in which all sports fans agree that the athlete handled it in a way that is selfless, integrity-filled, and generally beyond reproach.

Today, we are presented with such a story, which is why I want to take a few minutes to recognize Gil Meche, formerly of the Kansas City Royals.

If you have not yet heard, Meche is retiring. In the process, he is walking away from the final year of the controversial (at the time he signed it) five-year, $55 million contract he signed before the 2006 season. Follow this link to MLB.com if you want to hear Meche’s reasoning for yourself.

Essentially it boils down to this: Meche continues to deal with injuries and does not think he will be able to perform at a level commensurate with his salary; rather than struggle through another lost season or move to the bullpen, Meche would rather walk away – without seeking an injury settlement – than accept money he does not feel he would earn.

Wow. Let that sink in for a minute.

Here is what a few of my favorite baseball writers are saying about Meche’s decision.

From Joe Posnanski:

On Tuesday, Gil Meche finished off his contract in the most unbelievable way — perhaps the most unbelievable finish in major league baseball history: He walked away from the money. He retired, at age 32. He left behind $12.4 million guaranteed that was legally and rightfully his, because he had determined that he could not help the Kansas City Royals anymore.

I’ve seen a few pieces on the Internet lauding his integrity for walking away from that money … but frankly I’m stunned at the rather passive way in which most of the people are lauding him. THE MAN WALKED AWAY FROM $12.4 MILLION DOLLARS. If that has ever happened before in the history of professional sports, I have never heard about it. If that has ever happened in the history of the world outside of the movie Arthur, I am forgetting the story. Gil Meche had earned that $12.4 million — earned it by signing with the Royals on that day before the 2007 season, earned it by pitching his heart out, earned it by working with Zack Greinke and others, earned it by giving up his baseball future.

But he doesn’t feel that way. He feels like he can’t pitch anymore, and so the right thing to do is retire. Sure, he could have had surgery and collected the money. Sure, he could have tried to pitch in relief and collected the money. What percentage of people would do that? I’d say 99.999999999%. Hey, that money was his — it was legally his for signing the contract, it was rightfully his for fulfilling his end of the contract, it was medically his for giving up his right shoulder for the Royals, it was ethically his because nobody could doubt that he went above and beyond for the Kansas City Royals.

From Big League Stew:

Considering that Meche has already banked more than $50 million in his career, there’s no doubt that the cynics are yawning and saying “big deal.”

But how often do we complain about an athlete picking up a paycheck when he’s not earning it?

And how easy would it have been for Meche to trot himself out to spring training, go on the disabled list a short while later and spend one more year cashing pay stubs bigger than what some Americans make in a lifetime?

After the way he was treated by Hillman and the Royals — his 128-pitch start with his already-fragile arm last May will go down in infamy  — no one could have blamed him.

This really is a sports story unlike any other we have seen or are likely to see again. We do not need to weep or feel sorry for Gil Meche as he has clearly made plenty of money, and his family is likely set for generations to come. Certainly the $12.4 million would have afforded Meche and his family some nice additional luxuries and/or financial security, but something tells me they’ll do okay without it. So in the grand scheme of things, Meche’s sacrifice probably will not have a noticeable impact on his daily life…at least materially.

Rather, I think it all boils down to one thing, and it’s something that we as sports fans sometimes lose perspective on sometimes: what Meche’s decision boils down to is that he will be able to sleep at night and look himself in the mirror in the morning because he made the decision he believed in. That is what makes the decision the right one, not the fact that it is being universally lauded for its altruism and integrity after the fact.

If Gil Meche believed that he was owed the money, or that he owed it to his family to do whatever was necessary to get what the contract entitled him to, that would have been the right decision too. Someone without Gil Meche’s thought processes and values might have made that decision. And if they felt they were doing right by their values and their family, then I would applaud them as well.

The reason this story is such a story is because it is so rare for an athlete to think leaving $12.4 million on the table is the right decision. We are rarely presented with Gil Meches, guys who make for themselves the decision that few of us could actually make ourselves, but expect (or at least hope) others to be able to make.

My point here is that I think sometimes we expect athletes to make decisions for us. For example, I want to see Mark Buehrle finish his career with the White Sox, the only organization he’s ever known, even if the team asks him to greatly his reduce his salary in his next contract, (which it surely will), and I want to see him pitch long enough to make a run at 300 victories even though he has hinted at retirement. That’s what I want him to do and think, in many respects, would be “right.” However, Buehrle’s family is in St. Louis, he great up a fan of the Cardinals, and St. Louis might offer him more money than the White Sox when he hits the open market. What should Buehrle do? He should do what he thinks is right, even if it means spurning the organization and fans who have supported him for more than a decade.

I don’t know if that’s the best example to use. It is probably not. It was just the first one that came into my head.  What I am trying to express here is that, with respect to Gil Meche’s decision, I think him leaving money on the table is noble and selfless and “right” and all of the things that people are saying it is. But I also think that implicit in all of the plaudits Meche is receiving are subtle condemnations of someone who would make the opposite decision. And I think either decision can be the “right” one, and it has nothing to do with what you, I, or the collective sports consciousness thinks; rather, it has everything to do with what the person making the decision thinks.

So kudos to Gil Meche. We can commence the standing slow clap now. Yes, in part we should clap because Meche has provided a great example of selfless integrity, but mostly we should clap because Meche made a difficult decision for no other ostensible reason than because he believed it was the right thing to do.

If you are a fan of the Chicago White Sox, as I am, then this is a tune to keep in mind once next Tuesday rolls around. Why? That is when the Good Guys host the Twin Cities Piranhas in a three game set that will decide the AL Central.

Let’s preview the series and see just how optimistic White Sox fans should reasonably be about their team rising to the occasion in the most important series of the season.

White Sox-Twins: The Preceding Weekend

As I write this on Saturday morning, the White Sox sit 5.0 games behind Minnesota in the standings, thanks to last night’s thrilling come-from-behind home victory over the Royals. Each team has two games left before their pivotal tilt begins

The White Sox send Edwin Jackson to the hill today at home versus Kyle Davies. Jackson has been outstanding since the White Sox acquired him, although his history versus Kansas City is a bit checkered. Davies’ history against the White Sox is similarly checkered. Still, I think everyone would be shocked if the White Sox didn’t win this battle.

On Sunday, Freddy Garcia takes the hill for Chicago against Sean O’Sullivan of Kansas City. I see no discernible advantage here, so this game is a toss-up.

The Twins are in Cleveland, where they were shut down last night. Today, Nick Blackburn takes on rookie Carlos Carrasco and on Sunday it’s Kevin Slowey against Mitch Talbot. Carrasco and Talbot are better than you think, while Slowey has struggled since returning from injury. Blackburn has poor overall numbers but has been very good over the last 3-4 weeks.

All in all, I expect both the White Sox and Twins to split their games this weekend, meaning the Twins will still have a 5.0 game lead on Tuesday. From a White Sox perspective, this needs to be the absolute worst case weekend scenario. Losing any more ground is simply out of the question with only three weeks left in the season.

Update 9/13: Well, this didn’t go quite as planned. The Twins both of their weekend games while the White Sox split with Kansas City. So the Sox sit 6.0 games out as their pivotal series with Minnesota begins.

White Sox-Twins Preview: Tuesday

• First pitch: 7:10 CT
• TV: CSN
• Pitching Matchup: Francisco Liriano (13-7, 3.24 ERA) vs John Danks (13-10, 3.54 ERA)

This is a terrific pitching matchup in a series full of them. Liriano and Danks, both lefties, have had remarkably similar seasons. Not only are their overall numbers very similar, but their numbers against their Tuesday opponent are also similar.

• Danks vs MIN this year: 5 G, 2-1, 34.0 IP, 4.24 ERA, 1.47 WHIP, 25:9 K:BB
• Liriano vs CHI this year: 4 G, 2-0, 24.1 IP, 4.07 ERA, 1.48 WHIP, 20:13 K:BB

Both guys have actually pitched better against their rival this year than over their careers. Danks and Liriano have 5.00+ ERAs and 1.50+ WHIPs career against Minnesota and Chicago, respectively. And while both pitchers come into this game on the heels of at least two straight quality starts (Liriano has three straight), both have thrown up two duds out of their last six outings.

So history, both recent and distant, tells us that this may not be the low-scoring pitchers’ duel that we otherwise might expect just looking at the names.

Looking deeper into the numbers, Danks’ and Liriano’s home/road split this year should make White Sox fans feel better:

• Danks at home this year: 3.34 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, .218 BAA, 81:25 K:BB
• Liriano on road this year: 4.16 ERA, 1.37 WHIP, .266 BAA, 82:26 K:BB

Interestingly, while Liriano’s numbers match up with this career splits, Danks over his career has actually been about the same on the road as he is at home. Still, the fact that this game is in Chicago appears to be, from a pitching standpoint, a clear advantage for Chicago.

Which batters can we expect to step up?

For Minnesota, Michael Cuddyer absolutely owns Danks (1.369 OPS in 45 ABs). Joe Mauer hits .349 career against Danks but doesn’t hit him especially hard (.419 SLG). A positive for Chicago is that Justin Morneau has always hit well against Danks (1.222 OPS in 31 ABs) but remains out while dealing with the effects of a concussion.

Chicago’s players have about half the ABs against Liriano as the Twins’ players against Danks, but a couple guys jump out: Paul Konerko and Alexei Ramirez. Paulie has a 1.141 OPS and 2 HRs in 17 ABs against Liriano while Alexei has a 1.088 OPS in 17 ABs. Carlos Quentin, Alex Rios, and Mark Teahen, however, have been neutralized by Liriano.

White Sox-Twins Tuesday Prediction: Both teams have a couple of guys with especially strong numbers against the opposing pitcher, and both pitchers have struggled in this matchup. I expect a close game in which relief pitchers will likely play a big role during the last three innings. With the White Sox getting Matt Thornton and J.J. Putz back to go along with Chris Sale, this isn’t as scary a proposition as it was as recently as a week ago.

White Sox win it 6-5.

White Sox-Twins Preview: Wednesday

• First Pitch: 7:10 CT
• TV: WCIU
• Pitching Matchup: Brian Duensing (8-2, 2.02 ERA) vs Gavin Floyd (10-12, 3.91 ERA)

This is the game that terrifies me and that should terrify all White Sox fans.

Gavin Floyd’s terrific mid-summer run, which is his track record, helped propel the White Sox back into the AL Central race (almost exactly as I predicted, by the way) when they looked all but dead early in the season. Unfortunately, Floyd’s track record suggests that he’ll be just an average pitcher over the season’s final month (career 6-9, 4.22 ERA in 22 September starts).

As if on cue, Floyd has three starts giving up 5 earned runs or more since the calendar turned to August. Most frightening for White Sox fans is that two of those starts came against Minnesota and the third was his most recent outing against Detroit.

That’s not encouraging.

Duensing, on the other hand, is a guy who has pitched well in August and September. In 21 careers starts during the season’s final two months, Duensing is 9-2. He has a 2.81 August ERA and a 2.56 September ERA (though his WHIP is 1.36 and BAA is .280).

Against the White Sox Duensing is 3-0 with a 2.40 ERA and 1.27 WHIP in 9 career appearances, some of them out of the pen. Floyd has a 4.93 ERA and 1.48 WHIP in his career against Minnesota and is just 4-7.

(Stop me when you find something that leads you to believe the White Sox will win this game. Seriously. I’m trying really hard to find something.)

At home, Floyd is slightly better than he is on the road while Duensing is decidedly better at home (1.97 ERA, 1.10 WHIP) than on the road (3.66 ERA, 1.33 WHIP). Unfortunately, Duensing’s road numbers are better than Floyd’s career home numbers.

Ugh.

From a hitters’ perspective, Alexei Ramirez and Carlos Quentin are the only White Sox players who will be looking forward to this matchup. Alexei is 5-12 lifetime against Duensing with a .962 OPS. CQ is 5-9 against Duensing with 2 HR and a 1.822 OPS.

So Quentin needs to make sure he doesn’t get hurt between now and Wednesday because the White Sox will need his power to have a chance.

For the Twins, an entire phalanx of hitters will be looking forward to facing Floyd. Denard Span, Jason Kubel, and Joe Mauer all have OPS’ above 1.000 in 24, 35, and 34 ABs, respectively.

White Sox-Twins Wednesday Prediction: During June and July, Gavin Floyd was basically automatic. Every time he started you just knew the White Sox would have a great chance to win. While he hasn’t been terrible in August and September, his two recent outings against Minnesota, and his history against the Twins, are not encouraging.

Brian Duensing is one of the really good young pitchers that not too many people know about. White Sox fans and other AL Central aficionados do, but that’s about it. As September progresses, and over the next few years, that will probably change…and frankly, that sucks. The last thing the White Sox need is another annoyingly solid starter to haunt us for the next few years.

Even me, the most optimistic of all White Sox fans, cannot find a reason to predict victory on Wednesday. I hope I’m wrong.

Twins win 5-2.

White Sox-Twins Preview: Thursday

• First Pitch: 7:10 CT
• TV: CSN / MLB Network
• Pitching Matchup: Carl Pavano (16-11, 3.47 ERA) vs Mark Buehrle (12-10, 3.99 ERA)

I love Danks, Floyd, and Jackson. All are above average pitchers who typically give the White Sox a chance to win. But if you asked me who I’d want on the bump if my life depended on a White Sox W, I’d choose Mark Buehrle every time.

I’ve written before about Buehrle’s status as the ace of the White Sox and how underrated he is. A major reason for this is that while Buehrle’s overall career numbers are not overwhelming, he has usually stepped up big against two of the three teams that have been the White Sox main consistent rivals during Buehrle’s tenure: Minnesota and Detroit.

• vs Minnesota: 25-17 in 46 starts, 3.98 ERA, 1.33 WHIP
• vs Detroit: 16-8 in 29 starts, 3.01 ERA, 1.13 WHIP

(Cleveland fans, shut up. I know the Indians have killed Buehrle – 12-15 lifetime record – but that means nothing for the purposes of this discussion.)

This year, Buehrle has been predictably strong against Minnesota. He is 2-1 in three starts with a 2.74 ERA and a 1.09 WHIP. He’s only struck out eight Twins in 23 innings, but he’s also only walked three. Vintage Buehrle.

So if you’re a White Sox, you feel good about the man on the hill for you on Thursday.

Unfortunately, Twins fans will feel pretty good with their own mustachioed mound maestro: Carl Pavano. The Big Apple Pariah has resurrected his career with an outstanding season in Minnesota. And unlike many Minnesota pitchers, Pavano is better on the road (3.13 ERA, 1.05 WHIP) than at home (3.90 ERA, 1.24 WHIP).

He has not, however, been quite as good against the White Sox this season. His overall numbers are 2-1 in three starts with a 4.50 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, and a .315 BAA. In his defense though, Pavano does have a sterling 13:1 K:BB rate against Chicago, and 15 of the 28 hits he’s given up to the White Sox, along with 6 of the 11 earned runs, came in his last start against the Good Guys. His other two starts against Chicago were both very good.

So we really can’t know what to expect from the White Sox offense against Pavano Thursday night. He could shut us down or we could tattoo him again. Both have already happened this year.

And that’s where I like the White Sox chances. Buehrle’s worst start against Minnesota this year was his first, back in April: 8 innings, 4 ER. He went 8 IP, 3 ER his next time out, then 7 IP, 0 ER after that. The trend is going in the right direction, which is the opposite for Pavano.

The hitters to watch for the White Sox in this matchup, based on the history, are Paul Konerko (.963 OPS in 27 ABs), A.J. Pierzynski (1.045 OPS in 22 ABs), and Alex Rios (.924 OPS in 22 ABs). This may be a good day to rest Quentin though. He’s 0-10 lifetime against Pavano.

Minnesota’s hitters have much more established track records against Buehrle, who they’ve seen so often over the past decade. Denard Span has fared the best, with a 1.037 OPS in 31 ABs. Delmon Young has also done well, with a .942 OPS in 30 ABs. Conversely, Joe Mauer (.647 OPS in 46 ABs) and Jason Kubel (.624 OPS in 14 ABs) have not fared as well.

White Sox-Twins Thursday Prediction: If the first two games go as I predicted them, and the remaining games this weekend go as I predicted, the White Sox will need this win to move to 4.0 games back. That is a seemingly insurmountable advantage with so few days left on the regular season calendar, but it at least keeps the White Sox in it.

And I do think Mark Buehrle wins this matchup. He may even do it without any help from the bullpen. Buehrle knows when he needs to put the White Sox on his back, and he usually does it, especially against Minnesota.

Also, there are troubling signs for Pavano. He’s only struck out six hitters in his last 23 innings, although all three are quality starts (1-2 record). Plus, his last memory of facing the White Sox is getting hit around like a pinata.

A desperate White Sox team will come through a big victory on this night, and hopefully the momentum can carry the White Sox to a white hot finish to the season. They’ll need it to have a chance.

White Sox win 7-1.

White Sox-Twins: The Rest of September

Based on my predictions, the White Sox will be 4.0 games out heading into next Friday. A bounce here or there and obviously that number could swing in either direction by a game or two. We’ll see what happens.

But assuming 4.0 games is the deficit, will White Sox fans have any reasonable hope of a late season surge? Here are the remaining schedules for the two squads.

White Sox:

• vs DET (3)
• @ OAK (3)
• @ LAA (3)
• vs BOS (4)
• vs CLE (3)

Twins:

• vs OAK (3)
• vs CLE (3)
• @ DET (3)
• @ KC (3)
• vs TOR (4)

Not really much of an advantage either way. Both teams have 10 games at home and 6 on the road. Both play Oakland, Cleveland, and Detroit. Both get an AL East squad out of the race, and both go on the road to face teams that aren’t very good this year (KC and LAA).

Basically, the White Sox will need to catch fire and the Twins will need to collapse. Is it possible? Of course it is. Is it probable? Probably not.

But the joy of being a fan is knowing that as long as your team has a mathematical chance, something crazy could always happen. And we watch, and we hope, and we implore both our teams to rise to the occasion and the sports gods to smile down upon us with benevolence.

For the White Sox, being five games out with just 3+ weeks left is tantamount to hanging by a thread. But at least we’re hanging and have a reason to stay engaged during September. Now let’s just hope that we’re not hanging on in vain.

Last night’s comeback win over Kansas City was huge and certainly rekindled my excitement. And I like our chances at home against Minnesota next week. As Hawk would say, don’t stop now boys…

**********

* – AJ / JJ photo source: SBNation

* – Paulie/Buehrle photo source: RightWingHouse.com

* – Brian Duensing photo source: TwinkieTown.com

Unfortunately, that moment was the high point of the first two months of the 2010 baseball season.

The White Sox lost the next four games and have been fighting just to get their heads above water ever since. As things stand today, with the White Sox having completed their April and May slate of games, the South Siders are a pathetic 22-28, 8.0 games behind Minnesota in the AL Central.

Yet all hope is not lost for the 2010 season…at least not for me…at least not yet.

The White Sox undoubtedly need a monster June to position themselves to compete for a division title during the second half of the season, and there are plenty of legitimate statistical reasons to believe that such a month is possible.

Yes, somehow I see good things right around the corner for the Sox with one merciful flip of a calendar page that will happen after today. Let’s down them down.

1. The Schedule

The White Sox schedule was not awful over the first two months of the season, but it was difficult, with an opponents winning percentage of .512. April and May featured seven games against the Rays, five against the Twins, three against the Yankees, and eight against surprising Toronto. The Tigers, Rangers, and Angels were all also sprinkled in there as well.

Chicago also did not help matters by playing poorly against the easier teams on its schedule, most notably the damn Indians, who the Sox have given six of their 18 victories.

In June, however, the White Sox only see the “mighty” Indians three times and overall face a schedule with a current winning percentage of .469 (as of May 30th). Instead of the Rays, Yankees, and Blue Jays, the White Sox get the Cubs (6 times), Pirates (3), and Nationals (3). June also does include seemingly tougher sets with the Rangers, Braves, and Tigers, but overall it is much kinder.

All in all, just by schedule alone, one could reasonably expect the White Sox to play closer to .500 baseball during June. Sadly that would be an improvement, but hey, we’ll take any improvement we can get at this point.

2. The Speed

Much was made in the offseason of the White Sox getting faster and becoming less reliant on the long ball to score runs. This supposed return to the “small ball” principles of Ozzie’s first couple of years in Chicago did not seem to be paying dividends early in the season, but that started to turn around in May.

New leadoff hitter Juan Pierre, after a horrid start to the year in which he hit .193 in April and scored just 8 runs, rebounded in May to hit .286, steal 10 bases, and score 14 runs. While Pierre’s .339 OBP in May still left something to be desired, the improvement in production from the leadoff spot was imperative, as was the lineup’s ability to turn Pierre’s speed into runs.

Similarly, Alex Rios produced an across the board spike during May. The team’s clear MVP through the season’s first two months had a whopping 1.106 OPS during May while stealing 7 bases and scoring 22 runs.

It has been a long, long time since the White Sox enjoyed this much speed at the top of the order, and with the power of Paulie, CQ, and Andruw Jones so inconsistent, the ability to manufacture runs takes on increasing importance.

If the May turnaround at the top of the order continues into June, the much maligned White Sox offense should continue its improvement, led by the speedy Pierre and the speed/power combo of Rios that has him on pace for 33 HRs and 48 SBs.

3. The Splits

This is easily the most important of the three reasons, mainly because it is the most compelling and predictive of what we can expect from certain White Sox players in June based on their career averages.

Gavin Floyd

What led me to dig into this topic in the first place was wondering how far off Gavin Floyd’s current numbers were from where he usually sits at the end of May. I was considering dropping him in a fantasy league, but thought I should do a little more research first because he’s always seemed like a slow starter.

It’s a good thing I looked.

For his career, Floyd is 7-2 in 13 career June starts with a 3.12 ERA and a sizzling WHIP of 1.15. June is by far his best month of the season. Contrast that with his career April (8-8, 6.30 ERA) and May numbers (7-8, 5.47 ERA), and Floyd’s current 6.02 ERA and 1.54 WHIP don’t seem all that unusual.

If the rest of Floyd’s 2010 season go according to history, he should win 10-12 games and sport an ERA right around 4.00. But the White Sox need wins now to ensure that the team does not get broken up and that there is meaningful post-All Star break baseball on the South Side; that means June is do-or-die.

No White Sox player is as historically dominant in June as Gavin Floyd. He needs to keep that trend going.

Paul Konerko

Maybe I should have said that no White Sox pitcher is as historically dominant in June as Gavin Floyd, because ol’ Paulie usually rakes pretty well during the season’s third month as well.

Consider these June/career splits for Paul Konerko:

• BA: .296 / .277
• OPS: .911 / .845
• AB per HR: 14.8 / 18.4

Paul’s career averages are already very solid. During the month of June, they become very good to almost great.

We all know how streaky Konerko can be; heck, just look at his April/May splits this year (1.197 OPS in April, .712 in May). For the White Sox to experience the kind of June turnaround they need to become contenders, Paul Konerko’s June production must fall in line with his career norms. If so, he an Alex Rios could form one of the most underrated and productive 3-4 combos in the league and drive in a lot of runs together.

Mark Buehrle

Gavin Floyd isn’t the only pitcher and Paul Konerko isn’t the only White Sox veteran who loves the month of June. Mark Buehrle also seems to enjoy June more than any other month as well.

Consider the following:

• Mark Buehrle has started 50 June games during his career, tied with April for the fewest of any month; yet Buehrle has won 27 games in June, more than any other month,  and lost only 11 games, the fewest of any month.
• Buehrle’s 3.38 career June ERA is bested only by his 3.30 career ERA in May. His 1.18 June WHIP is better than any other month.
• Buehrle strikes out more batters per nine innings and walks fewer during June than in any other month.

While Buehrle’s splits are not anywhere near as extreme as Floyd’s, June has always been his best month. With a 4.38 ERA right now in 2010, Mark needs another strong June to rebound and get closer to his career ERA of 3.82.

AJ Pierzynski

Continuing with our batter-after-pitcher trend, AJ Pierzynski is another White Sox vet who loves June. He’ll need a productive one to get his current .211 batting average closer to last year’s surprising .300 clip, which came during what was one of his best seasons at the dish.

For his career, AJ is a .283 hitter but a .312 hitter in June. Both numbers presage improvement for AJ moving forward. Veteran baseball players usually revert to their career norms and AJ has proven to be much, much better than a .211 hitter.

The good news for the White Sox is that AJ doesn’t just slap more singles during June. He hits with more power as well. AJ’s career .424 slugging percentage improves to .481 in June. His on base percentage also improves, up to .350 from its norm of .324 as AJ has a slightly higher walk rate in June.

Freddy Garcia

How about another pitcher? Sure!

Freddy Garcia may have a tenuous grip on the 5th starter’s slot with Dan Hudson nipping at his heels in the minors, but the White Sox may want to delay any decisions until after June. Freddy has a career ERA of 4.12 and is sporting a 5.26 ERA so far this season, but history suggests that Freddy will pitch well in June, sputter for the next two months after that, and then pitch his best in September.

For his career, Garcia has a 3.79 ERA in June and a 1.23 WHIP with a record of 24-11. The White Sox would certainly welcome numbers even 80-85% of that from Garcia at the back end of the rotation.

The other months for Garcia are littered with 4+ ERAs and 1.3+ WHIPs, but he gets serious again in September, as White Sox fans know from 2005, and has a 26-11 record, 3.31 ERA, and and 1.17 WHIP in 51 career September starts (the most of any month).

If Garcia can pick it up in June, along with Floyd and Buehrle, his September prowess just may have some significance.

Alexei Ramirez and Others

Those five guys, all veterans with established track records, show clear historical preference for the month of June. Another guy who loves June, though whose experience is not quite as extensive, is Alexei Ramirez.

The Cuban Missile has a solid .316/.362/.505 June line and has hit 10 career June homers, the most of any month. Alexei also has solid July and August numbers, but June is clearly his preferred month, and usually the point at which he snaps out of his early season doldrums to become a productive member of the offense.

With a .254 average and only 4 HRs so far this season, Alexei could use another June turnaround, and there is no reason to think he won’t do it again.

There are also some other guys on the White Sox roster who have done well historically in June, though perhaps not as markedly as the guys mentioned above:

• John Danks‘ 3.09 ERA in June is his second best (3.03, April)
• Bobby Jenks‘ 2.31 ERA and 1.01 WHIP are his second best (1.21 ERA, 0.79 WHIP, August)
• June is Mark Teahen’s most productive month other than September.

Conclusion

What does all this mean? Not a whole hell of a lot in reality. It really just means that frustrated White Sox fans like me, KVB, and you (if you’re a White Sox fan, which I assume you are if you’re read this far) should wait at least one more month before burying the 2010 Pale Hose.

And I know what you’re probably thinking. So what if the White Sox have a great June? If all of these guys peak in June, how will they have enough in July, August, and September to keep up with Minnesota and Detroit anyway?

That’s a great point, to which I say simply: I don’t care.

The season’s last three months will be irrelevant if the White Sox do not have a huge June. If they can position themselves to compete by the beginning of July, anything is possible. If they stay 5-6 games under .500 come the All Star Break, you can start breaking out the shovels and eulogies for the 2010 White Sox.

The White Sox would need to go 17-10 in June to creep back over .500. If they can do this, they’ll be 39-38 heading into July, and you’d have to think somewhere in the neighborhood of 3-5 games out of first place. That isn’t a great position to be in, and the odds of winning the AL Central would still be against the White Sox, but it’d sure be a hell of a lot better than six games under and 8.0 back. At least the team would have a shot.

So the question is, can a team currently playing .440 baseball play .630 baseball for an entire month to get its head above water? The easy answer is probably not; the hopeful answer, however, is (you can put it on the board…) yes.  Luckily for those hoping, there is at least some statistical evidence, as laid out in this post, to suggest that it’s possible.

And wouldn’t you know it? I saved the most compelling piece of evidence for last.

If you total up the career June won/loss records of the White Sox current starting rotation, which has woefully underperformed expectations so far in 2010, you get 72-40. That is a .643 clip, which is better than the aforementioned .630 clip I cited as getting the White Sox over .500.

So before you think going 17-10 in June is improbable, remember that all the White Sox pitchers need to do is perform to their career norms, and if Paulie, AJ, and Alexei can produce at their usual June clips, the pitchers will get more run support, wins easier to come by, and the White Sox can start to make their move.

With that said, all we can do now is sit back, relax, and strap it down…and hope that June 2010 is as White Sox-friendly as past Junes have been. If so, the White Sox can make it a three team race again and have a fighting chance at their second AL Central crown in three years.

I still believe it can happen, and the numbers suggest that you should too…at least for one more month.

*********

* – Alex Rios photo credit: Jerry Lai/US Presswire via ESPN.com

* – Mark Buehrle / Paul Konerko photo credit: Jamie Squire/Getty Images via ESPN.com

* – Paul Konerko photo credit: Rumors and Rants

There, glad that’s settled.

Now, since I complimented a Cubs fan this morning (I still need to shower to feel clean again) it’s time to counterbalance that with some love for someone from the South Side.

Luckily, the White Sox are managed by the incomparable Guillen, who somehow finds a way to do laudable things even in the midst of one of the more disappointing 50 game stretches of White Sox baseball I can remember over the last 10 years.

He recently did two that deserve recognition. And since no one slurps the Ozzie Guillen bathwater more unabashedly than me and KVB, I had to post about them.

First, Ozzie provided his opinion on the hottest story in sports for the next month. He also lobbed an insult grenade at the city of Cleveland that hit where it hurts most.

The pictorial evidence of both are below:

Image Source: The LeBetard Show via Deadspin

Image Source: The LeBetard Show via Deadspin

What can you say about this? What other manager/coach would a) be clever enough to write this stuff on a baseball, and b) have the willingness and sense of humor to put it out there publicly?

Only Ozzie, which is why he’s the best.

(And before you criticize his managing, just remember that he’s the only manager in over 200 seasons of baseball to deliver a World Series title to the city of Chicago…so f–k you.)

And on a related note, Ozzie Guillen getting unfiltered access on Twitter is the greatest thing to happen to Twitter since Conan O’Brien getting on Twitter…which was the greatest thing to happen to Twitter since…?

Now onto the second reason to love Ozzie Guillen: he has his players backs and will call out umpires when they need to be called out. Case in point, yesterday.

Joe West called a balk on Mark Buehrle and then threw Buehrle out of the game because one of the most respected veteran pitchers in the Majors had the audacity to disagree and throw his glove down in disgust. And that warrants tossing him out of the game in the third inning? F–k you Joe West.

Ozzie obviously agrees:

“Because he’s a f—ing a–hole, that’s what he is. I just went out to ask him … I wasn’t asking about the balk because you’re not allowed, anytime you go out there to ask about balk or whatever. The thing I went out to ask him about was why he was embarrassing Buehrle. I’m not going out to argue about the balk because the rule, but I went out to ask him why he’s embarrassing Buehrle and he give me one of this [dismissing him with his hands].”

For his part, Buehrle had a great quote too regarding West:

“I did the same move the toss right before that, and he didn’t call a balk,” Buehrle said. “Once I got tossed I wanted to go say a few words and try to get my money’s worth and just kind of find out what did I do wrong to balk? I think he’s too worried about promoting his CD (West is a country music singer and song writer with his own website) and I think he likes seeing his name in the papers a little bit too much instead of worrying about the rules.”

Ahh…the things that keep you interested in a baseball season when your team – which you thought would win the division – is languishing below .500.

[Oh, and sorry for the language above. What can I say? Writing about Ozzie - and thinking about the White Sox record this year - just brings it out of me.]

He’s pitched five scoreless innings against the Indians as of me typing this, and executed this defensive gem:

Let’s see…Mark has won a ring, has been an All Star four teams, has been the unquestioned Opening Day starter for a single franchise for a decade, has pitched both a no-no and a perfect game, and holds the Major League record for consecutive batters retired, plus he won his first Gold Glove last year.

All he has left to do is win the Cy Young and get into the Hall of Fame.

I’d say he’s off to a good start in 2010.

(H/T to @jimmytraina for the video.)

And congrats to Josh Fields and Dewayne Wise for their cameo. If you blink you might miss it, but it’s nice to see the two unsung heros of Buehrle’s effort get the credit they deserve.

Video: Mark Buehrle Does David Letterman Show Top 10 List

And here is the list in case you’re at work and can’t watch:

Top 10 Things Going Through Mark Buehrle’s Mind While Throwing His Perfect Game:

10. I did it! I did! Oh wait, it’s only the 4th inning.
9. If this doesn’t get Kate Hudson to notice me, nothing will.
8. Too bad I’m not on my own fantasy team.
7. My brother-in-law bowled a perfect game. (then laughs)
6. We’re going to Disney World (with Josh Fields and Dewayne Wise)…and I’m running for the governor of Alaska.
5. Did I remember to TiVo “So You Think You Can Dance.”
4. I’m leaving after the 7th inning to beat the traffic.
3. Should I shave my back?
2. Sunflower seed…lodged in my windpipe…get help!
1. Maybe I’ll give up one hit so I don’t have to appear on Letterman.

There have only been 18 perfect games in the history of Major League Baseball (16 in the modern era).

Think about that for a second. There are so few amazing feats rarer than a perfect game. And what are the odds that your favorite pitcher of all-time will be one of the 18 to throw one? I’m seriously thinking about changing the name of this site to Midwest Buehrle Fans, at least for today. 

Anyway, I’ve done enough writing about Buehrle. I listened to the 5th-8th innings on my phone, then realized that MLB.com was allowing free live look-ins and switched over there for the 9th inning. As I mentioned yesterday, my boss had to delay a conference call because I was screaming and jumping up and down in my office after Dewayne’s Rise. Then everyone converged around my computer to witness baseball history.

But nothing would have compared to actually being there, which is why today’s Links of the Day are going to focus on some first hand accounts on Buehrle’s perfect game from some of our friends in the Windy City blogosphere. I enjoy Dallas, but days like yesterday make me wish I was back closer to Comiskey. Luckily, there are plenty of people who are, and who shared their experiences at yesterday’s game.

You’ll Say It, But I Really Was at Mark Buehrle’s Perfect Game — (Zoner Sports)

We hung around for a while after the game, exchanged high-fives and fist bumps with other fans, hooted and hollered and soaked it in. As I waited on the ramp for my friend who was taking a post-game wizz, it was cool to watch all the fans leaving the park and their different expressions. My favorite was the guy with the goofy grin on his face who just kept shaking his head. Because I was doing the same thing.

Mark Buehrle Throws a Perfect Game. I Was There. — (Rickhouse at Tremendous Upside Potential)

This has forever cemented Buehrle as my favorite White Sox player ever and second favorite athlete of all-time, only behind MJ. Derrick Rose, Jay Cutler, Gordon Beckham, Hester, Urlacher, whoever else, good luck gunnin’ for No. 3. 

…

If I had to be one baseball player, I cannot think of anyone I’d rather chose [sic] than Buehrle. Championship ring, World Series save, no-no, perfect game. Super-millionaire. Real cool dude. Try and top that, please. Best of all, he’ll probably be out of the game at 32 – on his own terms – so he can kick it with his wife and kids. Mark Buehrle is the man. 

Here is video from TUP of the crowd reaction as Buehrle seals the deal yesterday:

When Mark Buehrle Has a Perfect Game Through 8, I Go To Chili’s — (Bobby Stompy at Tremendous Upside Potential)

Buehrle K’d Michel Hernandez for his second-to-last out. A ‘he gone’ erupted from Hawk in a tone that I don’t think will ever be replicated or topped again. We witnessed a perfect game, a perfect catch, and the perfect ‘he gone’ all in the same game. Things do come in threes.

And that last out. Whoo. Hawk* damn near turned Alexei’s first name into a prayer verse. Not to far from his “Crede!” call for Buehrle’s no-no in ’07. But this one was bigger. A perfect game automatically makes it bigger, yes, but there’s also the first place implications. 2007 was a season of individual milestones, but it never led to anything bigger. If anything, it simply served as a lesson and reaffirmed to fans that playoffs matter more.

If anyone else can find more first hand accounts from bloggers, please link in the comments. I want to relish yesterday’s game for as long as possible…which means until the pivotal series with the Tigers begins this afternoon with the first game of the double-dip.

Update: here is another really good story I just found.

Mark Buehrle is just like you, but perfect — (Jon Greenberg, ESPN Chicago)

How does Mark Buehrle do it?

Look at him. He’s a monster-truck-driving, deer-hunting, self-proclaimed country boy who strains to hit 90 on the radar gun and was picked in the 38th round of the 1998 amateur baseball draft.

Did you even know there were that many rounds in a draft? Heck, Ron Schueler, the former White Sox general manager who selected the left-handed Buehrle, took his own daughter in the 43rd round in 1993.

No one could have predicted Mark Buehrle’s career.

…

“In the coaches’ room everyone was in tears,” Guillen said. “One thing, it couldn’t happen to a better guy.”

Guillen recalled Buehrle’s first no-hitter, when he wondered how a guy who pitches to contact and prides himself on working fast could get so lucky.

“He’s one of the most underrated pitchers in the American League in the last 10 years,” Guillen said.
 

And some other links from around the web for you on a gloriously wonderful Friday morning:

 

• Calling shenanigans on LeBron’s claim that he got high — (Barkley’s Mouth)
• Buehrle reminds us (again) that he’s good — (The Sweet Spot by Rob Neyer)
• Guillen’s “racism” saves Buehrle’s perfect game — (Sports by Brooks)
• A’s-Cards talking Holliday trade — (ESPN)
• Browns turn attention to signing #1 pick Alex Mack — (Plain-Dealer)
• Reggie Lewis’ widow (sorta) defends Cambridge cop accused of racism — (Hugging Harold Reynolds)
• Flip Flop Fly Ball is Flippin’ Fantastic — (Real Clear Sports Blog)
• NFL Draft goes to three days next year — (The Big Lead)
• 10 ways nature can kill you: with mammals — (Gunaxin)
• If only Red Sox-Yankees games started like this — (Busted Coverage)
• 2009 Big Orange Roundtable (Vol)ume 2 — (MoonDog)
• Victim claims Harrison hired gunman to shoot him — (SI.com Truth and Rumors)

 

* – Mark Buehrle and family phot credit: Chicago Tribune